Mentoring and Assessing Personal Statement Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Mentoring and Assessing - Personal Statement Example This reflective exercise will throw light on the intricate complexities of my profession, the demanding ethical implications of my job, and the rigorous requirement of my fitness for standards (NMC, Standards 02.04). This is a written account of it so it may invoke a critical appraisal of my own actions, and as expected will open vistas for self-analysis and experiential self-learning. This would enrich my skill of mentoring by development of knowledge, its transmission, and its use in practice setting (NMC 2004b). Throughout this account, I shall use Gibbs (1988) cyclical model of reflection. Reflection offers a subjective and contextual view of the world through my views. In the Gibbs cycle of reflection, every action will invoke a thought or feeling, so I would be able to evaluate those experiences and critically analyze them to make sense of it (Spalding, 1998). A careful analysis would aid a conclusion by consideration of all the alternatives of a happening scenario, so an action plan can be developed for future incidents in the practice. Evidently, this is a cyclical process of thoughts affecting our actions on a given situation where I can make sense of it. This would provide me with evidence as to how effective my actions were, thus creating a learning opportunity for me, and at the end of the cycle I would have new knowledge about the changed perspectives through the critical analysis (Fish and Twinn, 1997). Rationale NMC has well-conceived standards to support learning and assessment in practice. As per these standards, these learning and assessment processes, although designed to train the new entrants, applying the principles of learning theory, have important outcomes for mentors, practice teachers, and teachers (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2004). This usually assumes the form of a developmental framework, and the development occurs in stages. The whole process of this developmental and assessment framework is required to be supported and assessed by mentors. The midwifery mentors who have additionally qualified to be sign-off mentors as part of their mentorship qualification programme would make the final assessment of practice, and after the assessment, if the registrant qualifies the NMC standards, they would be recommended to be registered (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2004). To be able to do this, NMC has further designed the framework in such a way that if the outcomes are met withi n the rigorous provisions of accountability, the registrant nurses will be qualified to be registered. The domains in this framework are establishing effective working relationship, facilitation of learning, assessment with rigorous accountability, evaluation of learning, more importantly creating an environment of learning, establishing context of practice, promoting evidence-based practice, and inducing leadership. This framework will be suited for working in the modern healthcare, and there would be a perspective of inter-professional learning (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2006). Furthermore, this has a close correlation with the career pathways of the nurses due to the fact that NHS has launched KFC scheme as indicators of terms and conditions of service for their

Contrast in Nigeria Essay Example for Free

Contrast in Nigeria Essay The aim of this paper is to compare and contrast in Nigeria to that in the United States. The emergence, development, and settlement of ethnic conflict are related to the cultural, legal, and socioeconomic conditions in which a conflict takes place. These conditions are strikingly different in developed and developing countries. One more mediating factor in the cross-national study of ethnic conflict is the attitudes towards conflict in a society. Therefore, this paper will start with analyzing societies in the U. S. and Nigeria as well as their histories. The U. S. is the world largest economy and a country with a strong tradition of democracy. Its uniqueness is associated with the fact that the U. S. is an immigrant nation. Although ethnic conflicts were (and still remain, to a certain extent) frequent and acute, the American society has found effective ways to resolve such conflicts. The government of the U. S. tries to prevent conflicts between different ethnic groups, ensure equality, and promote tolerance. On the contrary, Nigeria is a poorer country with GDP per capita being only $2,000 (in the U. S. this figure is $45,800). However, it is Africa’s most populous country. Almost half of the population is under the age of fourteen. Mortality from AIDS is high (the percentage of people living with HIV is 5. 4%), and healthcare is inadequate. The country is composed of more than 250 ethnic groups, the following groups are the most influential: Hausa and Fulani (29%), Yoruba (21%), Igbo (18%), Ijaw (10%), Kanuri (4%), Ibibio (3. 5%), and Tiv (2. 5%) half a population are Muslim, Christians constitute 40% of the total population, and indigenous believers account for the remaining 10% (CIA, 2008). Waters (1996) suggests studying the following questions in order to understand cross-cultural perspectives on ethnic conflict: the meanings of ethnic identities (whether they are oppositional identities, immigrant identities, or symbolic identities); the attitude of ethnic groups to the state (whether they trust the institutions of the state to be fair and honest, whether these institution perpetuate oppression, whether the state is perceived by ethnic groups an instrument of power to be employed by their own group or another group or as a neutral arbiter); and the perceptions on hate crimes, violence, and intergroup encounters (whether they are seen as temporary, accidental and individualized, or as permanent, systematic, and institutionalized). In the U. S. , many people coming from other countries perceive themselves as immigrants at the initial stages of integration, yet eventually they accept their new, American identity. The overarching nature of American identity prevents the creation of sharply oppositional identities. However, double identities (such as African Americans or Hispanic Americans) remain string and may become a basis for ethnic conflict. However, the state directs a lot of effort and resources on preventing ethnic conflict. While the general view on the state’s handling of racial issues is generally positive, racism in entrenched in the social system, and there are even accusations of institutional racism. The unique feature about the American society is that it has an experience of successful resolution of ethnic conflicts, such as the movement for equal rights between Black and White citizens or governmental programmes to support Mexican immigrants. The risk of ethnic conflict in Nigeria is much higher than in the United States. In 1999, frequent clashes were taking place between Yoruba and Hausa ethnic groups. This conflict was the legacy of the British colonial rule: ‘Nigeria was brought into being under British colonial rule, when in the early 1900s Lord Lugard forged together the Moslem Northern protectorate and the Southern Christian sphere’ (Mason, 1999, para. 9). Regionalism was encouraged at that time: the country was divided into three self-governing regions based on ethnic allegiance, such as the western region (dominated by Yoruba), the northern region (mainly Hausa and Fulani), and the eastern region (mainly Igbo). ‘[T]he separate governments were designed to strengthen the colonial grip on Nigerian society and weaken the peoples potentials for resistance’ (Irobi, 2005, ‘Second Case: Nigeria,’ para. 2). The attempts of the Nigerian government to create a fully functional federal state have had limited success following the independence. Ethnic clashes turned into a civil war when Igbos attempt to form an independent state called Biafra. Nigeria took over Biafra in 1970 and maintained territorial integrity, but the conflict remained unresolved. There were incidents of sectarian violence in 2004. More recently, the conflict has centered in the oil-rich Niger Delta region. Access to oil revenue and environmental pollution are the main reasons for clashes. The government is perceived as hostile by Delta communities who used to prosper historically from the natural richness of their homeland. The clashes occur between two local ethnic groups, Itsekiris and Ijaw. Cases of vandalism are frequent; the conflict has been especially acute in 2004 when Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force threatened to destroy oil facilities and infrastructure in the region. In 2005, employees of Shell were kidnapped by the Iduwini National Movement for Peace and Development. In 2006, the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger River Delta continued the attacks on Shell decreasing the oil production by three quarters. All these groups demand international companies and the government to take appropriate care of the region’s environmental situation and contribute to the region’s development (GlobalSecurity, n/d). As concerns ethnic identities in Niger Delta, they are fluid and dynamic: inhabitants of the region are quick to reconstruct their identities influenced by political opportunities and economic inducements. However, the inhabitants of the region can be regarded as having a common regional oppositional identity. The government is perceived as an inimical body responsible for the ethnic unrest: ‘When citizens perceive that the system has failed to provide essential political or economic goods, they are more likely to gravitate to communal identities and to pursue contentious mobilization’ (Lewis, 2004, ‘Abstract’). Summing up, there are several features which are typical for ethnic conflict in Nigeria, as well as the rest of Africa, namely ‘the demand for ethnic and cultural autonomy, competing demands for land, money and power, and conflicts taking place between rival ethnic groups’ (Irobi, 2005, ‘Introduction,’ para. 6). Therefore, there are many differences between the U. S. and Nigeria in terms of interethnic relations. The most significant differences are the role of the government in conflict management and the creation of oppositional identities as contrasted with an overarching American identity. References CIA. (2008). ‘The World Factbook: Nigeria. ’ Retrieved August 26, 2008, from https://www. cia. gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ni. html GlobalSecurity. (N/d). ‘Niger Delta. ’ Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. globalsecurity. org/military/world/war/nigeria-2. htm Irobi, E. G. (2005). ‘Ethnic Conflict Management in Africa: A Comparative Case Study of Nigeria and South Africa. ’ Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. beyondintractability. org/case_studies/nigeria_south-africa. jsp? nid=6720 Lewis, P. (2004). ‘Identity and Conflict in Nigerias Niger Delta: New Evidence from Attitude Surveys. ’ Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, Hilton Chicago and the Palmer House Hilton, Chicago, IL. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. allacademic. com/meta/p59519_index. html Mason, B. (1999). ‘Ethnic conflict escalates in Nigeria. ’ Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. wsws. org/articles/1999/aug1999/nig-a17. shtml Waters, M. C. (1996). ‘Ethnic and racial groups in the USA: Conflict and cooperation. ’ In Ethnicity and power in the contemporary world, ed. Rupesinghe, K, Tishkov, V. A. Retrieved August 26, 2008, from http://www. unu. edu/unupress/unupbooks/uu12ee/uu12ee0o. htm

Brown vs. Board: The Brown Sisters Speak :: papers essays

Brown vs. Board: The Brown Sisters Speak I remember heading over to Foellinger Auditorium with Jessica saying to myself, I have no clue what this event was going to be all about. All Jessica had said to me was that the Brown sisters were going to be speaking. We entered the auditorium to find the first floor surprisingly alive with people talking among each other and seats quickly becoming full. We decided that it would be better to observe from above so we took the stairs up to the balcony and found seats right along the edge. From above, I could see the many people who came out for the event. The crowd contained many scholars and professors as well as a good group of students. I received a call from my friend, who spotted me from her seat in the first floor. She said that she was there to take notes for a class assignment as well. So, I think many students were also there because, just like, had an assignment to accomplish. It was at this point that I had finally put two and two together and realized that the Brown sisters were the daughters of the Reverend Oliver Leon Brown, who is the same person involved in the infamous Brown v. Board case. Jessica laughed at me for my slowness. I, however, began to get excited because this was truly rare and special occasion. I had wished that more people attended the event but looking at the crowd a second time, I was pleased to see the varying ages of the people in the crowd. There were people that looked older than the Brown sisters to young grade school students who came in as a class. Somehow, we were all connected because in one way or another, whether we are young or old, the decision that was passed down by the Supreme Court on Brown v. Board changed many lives. There were many things said by the Brown sisters that ranged from the historical context of the case to what it did for their lives. But one quote stood out in my head, and it was made by Dr.

Stefan’s Diaries: The Craving Chapter 12

The next few days drifted by, chock-full of wedding planning and menu sampling. At night, the Sutherlands settled into a steady routine. Mrs. Sutherland took to the sewing room, teaching Lydia to make quilts and bonnets. Bridget indulged in a late-night beauty regime that involved brushing her hair in one hundred strokes and lathering herself in cream that I could smell all the way from the parlor. Winfield always retired to his study with a tumbler of brandy, perusing the paper or going over his accounting books. I'd taken to pacing the first floor, coming up with plans to ferry the Sutherlands to safety only to shoot down most of my ideas. I also now needed to plan my feedings. My steady diet of city animals was harder to keep up now that I was under the watchful eye of every Sutherland and servant. It was almost like they expected me to try and make a break for it, though it was impossible to know how much of that was genuine wariness versus Damon compelling them to follow me. Sometimes I managed to slip away, whether up to the roof or silently down to the backyard to try and find a rat or pigeon or even a mouse to satisfy my needs. Hazel, the house cat, was off limits of course, but fortunately her wild tomcat friends were not. Damon had no such nutritional problems. Nor did he care much about secrecy. He came and went as he pleased, doing God knows what in the darkest corners of the city. I often saw a maid or manservant summoned to his suite in the coldest hours of the night as I skulked about tending to my own needs. For my brother, life with the Sutherlands was like living in a grand hotel – he attended dinners in his honor and was feted all around town at the top establishments. He was a prince and New York was his adoring kingdom. When Damon arrived home on Thursday, Winfield poked his head out of the study. â€Å"Oh, good. I'm glad you're here,† Winfield said, holding out two glasses of whiskey. â€Å"Please come join me.† There was a stray drop of blood carelessly smeared on the corner of Damon's mouth. Anyone else would have assumed it was a shaving cut. Suddenly the cozy study seemed suffocating and the corners darker. Damon casually wiped his lips, his eyes on me, then threw himself down on the couch next to his future father-in-law, less like an Italian count and more like†¦ well, Damon. â€Å"Good evening, sir.† The fact that he dropped his fake accent in their presence highlighted just how under his thrall this family was. â€Å"I wanted to have a chat with the two of you about your futures,† Winfield began, chomping on his cigar. â€Å"Oh, I have big plans, I'm thinking long-term,† Damon said. â€Å"Living here with the family, of course. I love close kin.† My throat went dry and I ran a hand through my hair, beginning to panic, reminded once again that I had no idea what Damon really wanted. â€Å"I think I should like to go into business for myself,† Damon began to say. But then the door of the study slammed open and Margaret came striding in. â€Å"Papa!† Without a word to either of us she threw a copy of the day's Post down into her father's hands and tapped at an article. â€Å"Read this.† Winfield fished around in his pockets for his glasses and slid them on, peering at the paper. â€Å"Sutherland house is scandalized as two penniless suitors sweep away the last of the eligible Sutherland girls. Heartbroken sons of bankers, politicians, and empires of capital complain bitterly about the sudden move. Is it blackmail, some wonder? An unnamed source close to the family claims that†¦ Oh, rubbish,† he said, throwing the paper aside and taking off his glasses. â€Å"People talk about the silliest things.† â€Å"We will be ruined,† Margaret said, almost pleading. She completely ignored Damon's and my presence. â€Å"At the very least, can't you see how it would be bad for business?† â€Å"Don't you think you should leave that sort of talk for the menfolk?† Damon asked lazily, returning to his accented English. But his ice-blue eyes bored straight into her head, as if he wished he could put a bullet there. I stood up, placing myself between Margaret and him. She didn't seem to notice his hatred, or the danger she was in. â€Å"I understand your concerns,† I said quickly. I had to convince her to drop this, for her own sake. â€Å"But believe me, I want nothing but the best for your family.† â€Å"And in fact, we menfolk were just talking about business,† Winfield added. â€Å"Damon, you were saying?† â€Å"All I need is a small sum of cash,† my brother said, turning his head and effectively cutting Margaret out of the conversation. â€Å"Which will allow me to travel to my home country and start picking out vendors for exports†¦.† Margaret let out a gasp. â€Å"You're not actually thinking of giving him more than his dowry?† â€Å"Don't be greedy, pet,† Winfield said, shushing her with a patronizing gesture. â€Å"It's just seed money to get him on his way†¦.† â€Å"Have you gone crazy?† she demanded. â€Å"You don't even know this man. Let him work for you first. Or give him one of your smaller businesses to run.† Damon rose from his seat, coldly furious. I tried to take Margaret's arm, but she shook me off. She pulled herself up to her full height, staring straight back into his eyes. Though she wasn't quite as pretty as either of her younger sisters, she was certainly imposing. â€Å"You all have been acting completely mad since he showed up,† she said to her father, not looking away from Damon. â€Å"Letting him – and him† – she gestured at me – â€Å"become practically members of this family, live under our roof, share our bread, and then offer them cash and your daughters and everything else! Doesn't anyone think this is strange besides me?† Winfield looked upset, but confused. Damon widened his eyes. â€Å"Stop,† he compelled her. â€Å"Just accept Stefan and me – we're here to stay.† She looked at him for a long moment. I waited for her eyes to glaze over, for her pupils to dilate ever so slightly. But all she did was shake her head in disgust. â€Å"Your phony ‘count' act might work with other people, but not me. I want no part of this.† I stared at her, stunned, as she stormed out. I'd never seen Damon fail to compel someone, not even when he'd been young and weak. I inhaled deeply, searching for hints of vervain, anything to explain what had just happened. But there was nothing there. All I could do was hope that whatever it was, it would continue to keep Margaret safe.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury Essay

â€Å"There are worse crimes than burning books. One of them is not reading them† -Ray Bradbury. In the past there were events that affected book writers. People will get together to burn books because they thought it was inappropriate or they were against their literature. Montag is a fireman in a futuristic society who would start fires instead of put them out. After he meets Clarisse a young girl different from all teenagers in that society Montag will find himself doing things he never did before. In Fahrenheit 451 Montag will have a huge change in his life that will make him different from other people. There were people who contributed to that change, people who Montag would never thought of meeting or people he had already knew. Clarisse had Montag analyzing his happiness and questioning himself which caused him to do things he never done before. When Montag and Clarisse were walking Clarisse asked him if he was happy with the life he was living. â€Å"Of course I†™m happy. What does she think? I’m not?†. Montag seems really bothered by the question Clarisse asked him. Montag is positive about his happiness, he knows he’s happy with the life he’s living He knows he’s â€Å"happy† but by someone else asking him that kind of question it doesn’t seem like he is. â€Å"He wore his happiness like a mask and the girl had run across the lawn with the mask and there was no way of going to knock on her door and ask for it†. Once Clarisse asked him about his happiness he started thinking about it and he knew he wasn’t happy at all. He thinks that Clarisse opened his eyes about it. Montag also feels like Clarisse was the one who took his happiness by asking him that question. Mildred proved to Montag he wasn’t really by the way she acts towards him. She was the one who woke him up and made him do something so he could have his happiness back. Mildred as a wife should listen to Montag and make him feel better. Instead Mildred would totally ignore him and seem careless every time he would say something. â €Å"†I’m hungry† â€Å"Last night† he began. â€Å"Didn’t sleep well. Feel terrible† she said. â€Å"God I’m hungry I can’t figure it† â€Å"Last night† he said again. She watched his lips casually. â€Å"What about last night† â€Å"Don’t you remember†Ã¢â‚¬ . Mildred doesn’t really listens to Montag He always tries to tell her something but she seems careless about it. He feels like he’s not getting the attention he wants from her. â€Å"â€Å"When did we meet? Where?†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ â€Å"It doesn’t matter.† She was up, in the bathroom now, and he heard the water running, and the swallowing sound she made. â€Å"No, I guess not,† he said. This demonstrates that all this years of marriage meant nothing to Mildred. By her not remembering how they meet tells that Mildred doesn’t really care about their marriage. Faber encouraged Montag to overcome his fears not by giving him advice but by showing Montag he also feared. Faber was always the type to follow the rules so he wouldn’t get in trouble and face the consequences. Montag didn’t want to be a coward like Faber that’s how he overcame his fears. â€Å"For a little while I’m not afraid. Maybe it’s because I’m doing the right thing at last. Maybe because I’ve done trash thing and don’t want to look the coward to you†. Faber has never made a change in his life because he has always been afraid of the consequences. He tells Montag that he has to face his fears which make him feel like he’s doing the right thing for once. â€Å"â€Å"Mr. Montag you’re looking at a coward. I saw the way things were going a long time back. I said nothing. I’m one of the innocents who could have spoken up and put when no one would listen to the ‘guilty’†¦Ã¢â‚¬  Faber is telling Montag that he never had the courage to stand up in what he strongly believes its right. He categories himself as a person who’s afraid by the consequences. In Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, Clarisse, Mildred and Faber had Montag doing things he never did before. They had him questioning, making him realize and encouraging him to get over his fears. He was doing things he never saw himself doing before in his life. Even though those things he do had its bad consequences he never felt that good about himself. Many people won’t confront their fears because they’re scared of the consequences but once people they overcome those fears there will be nobody who will stop them to do what they think it’s right. WORK CITED Bradbury, Ray. Fahrenheit 451. Simon and Shuster paperbacks; New York, 2012

Free Essays on Macbeths Analysis

. It takes one or two readings sometimes to figure out what the witches mean; it is not surprising, therefore, that these "imperfect speakers" can easily bedazzle and confuse Macbeth throughout the course of the... Free Essays on Macbeths Analysis Free Essays on Macbeths Analysis Act 1 Analysis In Act 2, the Porter extemporizes about the sin of equivocation, and in many ways, equivocation can be said to be the most important theme in this play. Starting from the Weird Sisters' first words at the beginning of the play, readers quickly ascertain that things are not what they seem. The word "equivocation" has two different meanings, both of which are applicable to this play. The first, according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is: The using (a word) in more than one sense; ambiguity or uncertainty of meaning in words; also . . . misapprehension arising from the ambiguity of terms (vol.3, p. 266). This definition is the one that modern readers are most familiar with, and this kind of verbal ambiguity is a major theme in the play. However, this is not the definition of "equivocation" that the Porter intends. The second definition in the Oxford English Dictionary is: The use of words or expressions that are susceptible of a double signification, with a view to mislead; esp. the expression of a virtual falsehood in the form of a proposition which (in order to satisfy the speaker's conscience) is verbally true. This is the equivocation of which the Porter speaks. This kind of equivocation is similar to lying; it is intentionally designed to mislead people for one reason or another. This intentional ambiguity of terms is what we see in the prophesies of the Weird Sisters; their speech is full of paradox and confusion, starting with their first assertion that "fair is foul and foul is fair" (I.i 12). The witches' prophesies are intentionally ambiguous, and the alliteration and rhymed couplets with which they speak their omens contributes to the effect of instability and confusion in their words. It takes one or two readings sometimes to figure out what the witches mean; it is not surprising, therefore, that these "imperfect speakers" can easily bedazzle and confuse Macbeth throughout the course of the...

History of US Naval Station at Pearl Harbor

History of US Naval Station at Pearl Harbor The early 1800s: Known to native Hawaiians as Wai Momi, meaning water of pearl, Pearl Harbor was believed to be the home of the shark goddess Kaahupahau and her brother, Kahiuka. Beginning in the first half of the 19th century, Pearl Harbor was identified as the possible location for a naval base by the United States, Great Britain, and France. Its desirability was reduced however by the shallow water and reefs that blocked its narrow entrance. This restriction led to it largely being overlooked in favor of other locations in the islands. US Annexation: In 1873, the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce petitioned King Lunalilo to negotiate a reciprocal treaty with the United States to further the bond between the two nations. As an inducement, the King offered the cessation of Pearl Harbor to the United States. This element of the proposed treaty was dropped when it became clear the Lunalilos legislature would not approve the treaty with it included. The Reciprocity Treaty was ultimately concluded in 1875, by Lunalilos successor, King Kalakaua. Pleased by the treatys economic benefits, the King soon sought to extend the treaty beyond its term of seven years. The effort to renew the treaty met with resistance in the United States. After several years of negotiation, the two nations agreed to renew the treaty through the Hawaii-United States Convention of 1884. Ratified by both nations in 1887, the convention granted to the Government of the US the exclusive right to enter the harbor of Pearl River, in the Island of Oahu, and to establish and maintain there a coaling and repair station for the use of vessels of the US and to that end the US may improve the entrance to said harbor and do all things useful to the purpose aforesaid. The Early Years: The acquisition of Pearl Harbor met with criticism from Britain and France, who had signed a compact in 1843, agreeing not compete over the islands. These protests were ignored and the US Navy took possession of the harbor on November 9, 1887. Over the next twelve years, no efforts were made to enhance Pearl Harbor for naval use as the harbors shallow channel still prevented the entrance of larger ships. Following Hawaiis annexation to the United States in 1898, efforts were made to enhance the Navys facilities to support operations in the Philippines during the Spanish-American War. These improvements were focused on the Navys facilities in Honolulu Harbor, and it was not until 1901, that attention was turned to Pearl Harbor. In that year, appropriations were made to acquire land around the port and improve the entrance channel into the harbors lochs. After efforts to purchase the adjacent land failed, the Navy obtained the present site of the Navy Yard, Kauhua Island, and a strip on the southeast coast of Ford Island through eminent domain. Work also began dredging the entrance channel. This progressed quickly and in 1903, USS Petral became the first vessel to enter the harbor. Growing the Base: Though improvements had begun at Pearl Harbor, the bulk of the Navys facilities remained in Honolulu through the first decade of the 20th century. As other governmental agencies began encroaching on the Navys property in Honolulu, the decision was made to begin shifting activities to Pearl Harbor. In 1908, Naval Station, Pearl Harbor was created and construction began on the first drydock the following year. Over the next ten years, the base grew steadily with new facilities being constructed and the channels and lochs deepened to accommodate the Navys largest ships. The only major setback involved the construction of the dry dock. Begun in 1909, the drydock project angered locals who believed the shark god lived in caves on the site. When the drydock collapsed during construction due to seismic disturbances, Hawaiians claimed that the god was angry. The project was finally completed in 1919, at cost of $5 million. In August 1913, the Navy abandoned its facilities in Honolulu and began to solely focus on developing Pearl Harbor. Allocated $20 million to turn the station into a first-rate base, the Navy completed the new physical plant in 1919. Expansion: While work was moving along on shore, Ford Island in the middle of the harbor was purchased in 1917, for joint Army-Navy use in developing military aviation. The first aircrews arrived at new Luke Field in 1919, and the following year the Naval Air Station was established. While the 1920s were largely a time of austerity at Pearl Harbor as post-World War I appropriations decreased, the base continued to grow. By 1934, the Minecraft Base, Fleet Air Base, and Submarine Base had been added to the existing Navy Yard and Naval District. In 1936, work began to further improve the entrance channel and to construct repair facilities to make Pearl Harbor a major overhaul base on par with Mare Island and Puget Sound. With the increasingly aggressive nature of Japan in the late 1930s and the outbreak of World War II in Europe, further efforts were made to expand and improve the base. With tensions heightening, the decision was made to hold the US Pacific Fleets fleet exercises off Hawaii in 1940. Following these maneuvers, the fleet remained at Pearl Harbor, which became its permanent base in February 1941. World War II and After: With the shift of the US Pacific Fleet to Pearl Harbor, the anchorage was expanded to accommodate the entire fleet. On the morning of Sunday, December 7, 1941, Japanese aircraft launched a surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Crippling the US Pacific Fleet, the raid killed 2,368 and sank four battleships and heavily damaged four more. Forcing the United States into World War II, the attack placed Pearl Harbor on the front lines of the new conflict. While the attack had been devastating to the fleet, it did little damage to the bases infrastructure. These facilities, which continued to grow during the war, proved vital to ensuring that US warships remained in fighting condition throughout the conflict. It was from his headquarters at Pearl Harbor that Admiral Chester Nimitz oversaw the American advance across the Pacific and the ultimate defeat of Japan. Following the war, Pearl Harbor remained the homeport of the US Pacific Fleet. Since that time it has served to support naval operations during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, as well as during the Cold War. Still in full use today, Pearl Harbor is also home to the USS Arizona Memorial as well as the museum ships USS Missouri and USS Bowfin. Selected Sources A Brief History of Pearl Harbor Prior to World War IINaval Station Pearl Harbor